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(a) The department shall establish, and regional centers shall administer, a tuition reimbursement program for regional center employees who seek a degree or certification in a health or human services-related field.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enhance regional center services received by consumers, increase subject matter expertise and career advancement options at regional centers, and improve employee retention rates at regional centers by offering tuition reimbursement for eligible regional center employees.
(c) Each qualifying participant shall be eligible to receive up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) annually for up to three years.
(d) In exchange for tuition reimbursement, participants shall be required to work at the regional center for no less than one year for each year of tuition reimbursement following completion of their degree or certification. An employee may transfer to another regional center to complete this requirement. The funding regional center shall notify the department within 30 days after a request from an employee to transfer to another regional center to complete this requirement. The receiving regional center is responsible for reporting the information required in subdivision (g).
(e) By September 1, 2022, the department shall publish eligibility requirements for regional center staff participation. These requirements shall include information about which regional center staff are eligible, which academic programs or types of academic programs are eligible, minimum application requirements, concurrent regional center work requirements, and postgraduation regional center work requirements. In addition, the department shall describe the terms of the program, including repayment or partial repayment requirements for individuals who do not complete their degree or certification or do not complete the concurrent or postgraduation work requirements.
(f) Tuition reimbursement shall be available for the 2022–23 through 2024–25 fiscal years.
(g) Regional centers shall report to the department on an annual basis, commencing on April 1, 2023, and thereafter on January 1 of each year until January 1, 2026, on data about the program, including number and demographics of applicants and participants and their regional center position, degree and field sought, and how long they were employed by the regional center after completing their degree or certification.